Morning good readers, I’m not going to beat about the bush today, it’s straight to business as there are good man folk out there in need of helpful, wholesome styling advice. So without further ado lets tackle the issue of the day;

Ahhh, the problems of the Great British Summer weather, totally unpredictable and can cause no end of problems for the well dressed chap about town and what to wear ????? OK Nicholas, as soon as I received your enquiry I turned to my infinite contacts books and sort the advice of some footwear aficionados. Firstly, I turned to the creator of your very own suave brogues, Mr Oliver Sweeney himself. They advised ;

“That will be our Bannister brogue, produced in a very soft leather with an antiqued patina. As he suggests the best way to protect them is to avoid the rain but we live in the UK, so a good care routine for them is the best way to avoid significant damage. To retain the same coloration, always use a neutral cream or polish, we’d recommend a beeswax variety, as opposed to synthetic polishes that don’t nourish the leather in the same way (you can play around with other colour polishes to slightly alter the colour of your shoes, but be aware that, if you don’t like the change it can be hard to reverse).

If they do get wet, stuff them with newspaper to draw out the water from the inside, and let them dry out in their own time. Don’t place next to an artificial heat source (such as a radiator etc) as this may crack the leather.”

Wonderful advice as always, from the Shoemeister, but then the wonderful people over at Pierre Corthay, a true French master of footwear, offering me his top tips for shoe care;

– Once you start to feel the bumps on the ground (small stones etc), then it is time to resole your shoes. Once there is hole it is too late !

– The only secret one must alternate one’s shoes. We recommend that one wears a pair of shoes for no more then three consecutive days. This will ensure their longevity, prevent humidity and help keep their original shape. Once a week is even better.

– Leave your wet shoes to dry without shoe trees.

– At least once a week, clean leather shoes with a damp cloth (for smooth leather) or a dry brush (for velvet). Apply an adapted cleaning product for smooth leathers (polish, cream…), then glazing with dry and soft cloth. Polishing will be effective after the shoes are dry.

– When it comes to waterproofing, Pierre Corthay shoes made of leather with smooth aspect are already protected by the finish of the surface. On the other hand, the nubuck and velvet leathers need to be protected by the application of a waterproofing product.

– To maintain a pair of shoes, it is best to remove dirt with a brush or a damp cloth, then apply the appropriate cleaning products.

– Wet leather shoes should never be dried next to a heater. They may harden and become brittle. It is preferable to let them dry naturally and to insert newspaper to absorb the moisture.

So Nicholas, all that is left for me to do is to tell you, the choice is yours ??? Do let us know if you found this advice helpful and join us again soon for another style clinic.